The Phantom and the Fop
by AmandaTheVampireLove
Summary: Yeah, my old story back up! Erik finds Christine beaten on the steps of the Opera House. What will he do when he finds out who did it?
1. Chapter 1

AN: Okay guys! I told you that I'd try to rewrite this fic! I just wanted to let you know before hand that there are probably going to be a lot of things that are different, including a bit of an explanation as to why Raoul is like he is in this story. I don't remember anything but the key points from this story, so if you'd like to tell me your favorite parts, I'll be sure to add them back in. As to keeping to the original line, I'll try, but there are probably going to be some very different things going on in here as well! I hope you enjoy it! (The first chapter is the explanation that I promised about Raoul. However, you do have to realize… I have never liked Raoul's character. I'm going to give my plausible explanation, but –shrugs- I cannot help my feelings)

Oh, and before this starts: This is my one time that I'm saying this, and then any flames I receive afterward will simply be ignored. This is movie based. This is not the Leroux Phantom. I adore the Leroux Phantom, but this story would be completely and utterly impossible to write if it were not based on the movie. So yeah, this is Gerik. I have Leroux based fics, so if you want Leroux, go read those! Please don't tell me how he is out of character, when you base it on Leroux. Not Leroux Based.

I think I've covered everything. The story is rated M for violence, and more than likely a bit of mild violent sexual content. I'll warn at the beginning to the chapter if it's going to do anything, and you can decide if you want to read it or not then! I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT! The Return of The Phantom and the Fop!

Part One: **this chapter has just a tinge of sexual content… nothing really though**

Christine was beginning to loathe the vile alcoholic smell that always seemed to hang around Raoul. Her precious Raoul, who, no less a year ago would have done nothing to hurt her, had turned into a drunkard.

Somehow she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. Three times, they had tried for a child, and three times they had failed. The first time, he seemed just as upset as she was, crying and holding her hand. He was her strength, the only thing that kept her going. He told her that they could try again, and that it would all be okay. She believed him, and they tried again.

The second time that Christine lost the baby, only a month into the pregnancy; Raoul did not take the second loss as well as the first. He did console her, but then he turned and consoled himself as well, nursing a bottle for three days after the burial. After that, he seemed to have a bit of an aversion to Christine. He wouldn't touch her for a solid month.

One night, he came home (she would learn later that it was from a tavern…) and they once again conceived a child.

She carried this one for three months before she fell down the stairs and lost it. This time, Raoul did not comfort her. This time, Raoul slapped her and told her that she was intentionally denying him a child. Christine's heart broke, but she nodded and watched as Raoul drunk himself further and further into his abusive/depressive state. She wanted nothing more than for her childhood love to resurface from behind his angry eyes.

She was sitting in her room, running a brush idly through her hair. Her thoughts seemed to stray more and more back to the incident at the Opera House… and the betrayed look on Erik's face. The further and further she and Raoul seemed to be separated, the more and more Christine's thoughts turned to Erik. The Phantom was still on her mind when she heard him return. She could tell by the way that he slammed the door that he was drunk. She cringed inwardly, praying to herself that this wasn't going to turn violent.

He came into the room, and she saw that the fire in his eyes had nothing to do with violence, and everything to do with… well…

He came to her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. She ignored the bitter taste that the alcohol left in his mouth and kissed him back, pretending that things were as perfect as they used to be.

Raoul pulled Christine backwards with him, laying them both on the bed. He began to kiss her neck, and a small frown played upon her lips while he wasn't looking. She wasn't enjoying this. The last time they had made love had been a few days ago, and nearly directly after they had finished, Raoul had rolled out of the bed and went straight back to the tavern. It made her feel… worthless.

She bit her lip as he continued to trace kisses across her neck and collarbone; the pleasure took second place to her doubt and confusion. She remembered what she had been thinking of before he had returned home. The Opera House… singing, her life. Meg… "Erik."

Christine didn't realize that she had said the last of her thoughts out loud, but when Raoul raised from his movements, her body tensed. She knew that something was wrong.

"What did you just say?"

Too late, she realized her mistake. "I— I didn't mean… Raoul, I'm sorry!" His blue eyes were already hazy with drink, and the rage that filled them left no room for clarity or sanity. The felt the sharp sting of an open handed slap, and her eyes filled with tears. Not again.

"You just said his name, didn't you?"

"Raoul, please—"

The madness completely took over his eyes. She knew what was going to happen before she saw his hand curl into a fist.

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Christine woke groggily a few hours later, away of the pains shocking over her whole body. She couldn't even stand to look at herself in the mirror, and she couldn't stand to stay here any longer. She remembered everything that had happened… her whole body began to shudder, and she let out a moan of pain.

She had never been injured this badly, and she feared falling back asleep. She couldn't' stay… she had to go.

She managed to stand, but fell back almost immediately. Raoul, she was sure, had returned to the tavern. It took her nearly twenty minutes to get herself outside and to her horse. She didn't know _how _she managed to get herself half strewn across him, but she knew that her destination wasn't far. She only took her horse to two places. The graveyard and… "The Opera House…"

She managed to get him started in the proper direction, and knew that he would know the way there. It was a path he traveled many times. She didn't know what she was going to do when she got there… but anything had to be better than what she was leaving.

With this knowledge, Christine passed out.

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This was how Erik found her an hour later as night began to fall. The horse had led her to the back of the half ruined Opera House. He had heard a noise above, and went to investigate. At first, he hadn't even realized that the battered form lying there was Christine, with her horse standing beside her. When he saw the spill of brown hair, however, he knew.

His heart sank, and he quickly darted out and picked her up. He looked outside once more, thankful that no one had saw him. He looked down at Christine's battered and bruised face. What had happened? Wasn't that boy supposed to have taken care of her?

Nothing else mattered at the moment but taking care of Christine.

Erik made his way down to his lair, intent on getting Christine well. Then, he would get his answers.

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Is that nearly how the first chapter happened before? I want this to be nearly the same –sobs-! I just can't remember. I hope you guys are happy about me writing this again!

If you want to contact me, my IM is deathsrequiem07 on AOL and YAHOO messenger. Feel free to IM me at any time!

Love to the Reviewers, and constructive criticism is welcomed!

Amandathevampirelove


	2. Chapter 2

AN: You guys better just love because I found parts 1-11 on there!  It shall all be re-edited and posted back up! Whooness!

Part Two

"Raoul… Raoul… Please, I didn't mean to say his name…" Erik heard this plea come from Christine's swollen lips over and over again as he gently probed and started mending her wounds. He had had to set her arm, and her cry of pain gave him reassurance that, even though she was in bad shape, she was still feeling.

"Christine… shhh…" He wiped at the cut on her forehead, his eyes narrowing to slits at the thought of someone actually touching her in such a way. So many times he had been furious with her for doing something… taking of his mask for one… and yet, he couldn't have raised a hand to her for anything, even if it had meant her staying with him instead of going off with Raoul…

"No… I didn't… Erik…" she murmured again, and he growled softly at the pain and fear in her voice. Speaking of De Changy… where had he been, and why hadn't he stopped this from happening to her? His eyes narrowed again, as he once again had to wipe the blood coming from her head.

Surely he wouldn't have… no. He had let her leave with that… that… fop of a boy, simply because he had indeed loved her. Loved her enough to risk dying. He wouldn't have hurt her, so… where had he been when someone had?

"Christine…" he said it softly, sitting down on the bed beside her, smoothing her soft brown curls out of her face.

Just for a moment, her wide brown eyes opened, and she looked up at him with a mixture of amazement, and relief.

"Erik?" she said, actually reaching out her good arm, and brushing his face softly. He reach his hand up and placed it on top of hers. It slipped slowly out of his as she passed out once more. Erik saw something wet land on Christine's lips, and reach out, realizing that he was crying. He was so angry… who could have done this?

She once again began her fitful pleas… "Please no… Erik… I didn't mean to say it… Please… don't…" He sighed softly.

"Night time, sharpens, heightens each sensation… Darkness stirs and wakes the imagination…" he sang softly to her, and her fitful cries slowly subsided. He continued to sing to her as he once again resumed the task of cleaning her wounds.

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Raoul, upon returning from the pub hours later, didn't notice the white horse with blood splattered all over it, just returning from a long journey. He stumbled through the house, his vision blurred from the effect of the alcohol.

"Christine!" he shouted, and then collapsed on the bed. He didn't stay conscious long enough to notice that his wife didn't answer his call.

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Slowly but surely, Erik coaxed Christine into consciousness. Hours after he had found her lying on the steps, she finally opened her eyes. She had had the most wonderful dream. She was safe from Raoul's rough hands, safe with… an angel. Her Angel of Music, no matter how deceptive, would have kept her safe from all harm. Slowly things came to her in pieces. She expected to see her clean, perfect house, lit until there were no shadows, simple because Raoul thought that they were too much of a reminder of Erik…

Instead, she saw darkness lit by candles, casting shadows around the room. A soft mesh black curtain draped around a bed lined with red and black pillows. The bed she was laying on. Then, the sweet sounds of music reach her ears. She hadn't heard music since the night she had fled from the mob and from Erik. She listened to the words, and her heart began to speed up. Singing softly in an enchanting voice, she heard _him_ singing to her, and she couldn't believe it.

"You have come here… in pursuit of your deepest urge…in pursuit of that wish which till now has been silent… silent… I have brought you, that our passions may fuse and merge…in your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses completely succumbed to me… And now you are here with me, no second thoughts…you've decided…decided."

The familiar lyrics, in the even more familiar voice floated to her ears, and tears slowly filled her swollen eyes as she turned to look at Erik. She drew the sight of him in, as a smile of relief broke over his lips at her eyes opening for longer than five seconds…

He was in black, though the sparkle of a silver chain with the ring she had pressed back into his hand glittered in the candlelight. The mask that incased the side of his face was black. His eyes shown softly out of it, and she saw the relief as he continued to sing.

"Past the point of no return…No backward glances! The games of make believe are at an end…Past all point of "if" or "when"…no use resisting…abandon thought, and let the dream descend . . . What raging fire shall flood the soul? What rich desire unlocks its door? What sweet seduction lies before us . . .? Past the point of no return, the final threshold - what warm, unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no return..." He brought his hand forward slowly, brushing her hair out of her face. "Christine, you're awake."

She stared at him dumbfounded, not knowing what to feel. She had forgiven Erik the moment she kissed him. Forgive him for all of the deception, all of the pain and anguish. She had forgiven him simple because of those four words that he had sang so passionately. 'Christine, I love you.'

She felt dangerously close to passing out once again. The smile slipped from his face when she didn't speak back to him, replaced with worry that something was wrong with her that wiping and stitches wouldn't fix.

"Christine, can you hear me?" His words were spoken, laced with concern, as he cupped the side of her face with his hand, making her meet his eyes.

"Yes." She said it faintly, and he helped her to sit up, getting the glass of water that he had kept by the bed. After taking a sip, things began to come more and more into reality. She looked around wildly, expecting Raoul to jump out of the shadows and drag her back into the purgatory that was her home.

Erik misinterpreted it for fear at realizing that she was back in the catacombs of the Opera House. He slowly let his hands drop from her face, and began to slowly back up.

She however had different plans.

When she realized that Erik was going to leave, when she felt him take his hands from her face and begin to move back, she panicked even more than she had been. If he was there… if Raoul had followed her, she defiantly didn't want Erik to leave her. It would have been funny if she hadn't been terrified. Erik… protecting her from Raoul. She quickly reached out, grabbing his hands and shaking her head.

"You can't leave me…" she started to cry, realizing exactly how frightened she was… "Please, I don't want to be alone… don't leave me." She said it over and over until Erik finally shushed her.

He was shocked when she reach out and grabbed him, and even more shocked at the pleas for him not to leave. He would have done anything that she asked, especially if it meant him staying with her. He nodded, returning the grip that she had on his hands.

"I won't leave you Christine, I promise… just shh… it's going to be alright. I'll protect you, and I'll keep you safe." She looked at him, and the fear in her eyes wrenched his heart.

"You promise?" Already, her eyes were drooping, and he realized that she had indeed overexerted herself far to soon for being beaten so severely. That was indeed one thing he was an expert on, being beaten. As a child, it was a daily thing, and he had learned when he could move and when he couldn't.

"I swear it to you Christine. I'll keep you safe." She nodded, and slowly began to sink back on the bed, realizing exactly how odd it was for her to be pleading with Erik to not leave her. She had been the one who fled from him… why… he had ever reason in the world to leave her where she laid. Ever reason in the world to deny her plea for help and shelter. And that's exactly what she was asking for, shelter from her former love. A tear slipped slowly down her cheek, stinging the cuts.

"It's going to be okay." He said softly. So soft, and so sweet. Who could have hurt her?

"Erik, you'll protect me, wont you?" He looked at her, as her eyes began to flutter once more, wondering if it were her injuries talking, or if she was actually pleading with him to keep her safe. From the look of her, she needed someone to, because Raoul sure as hell wasn't doing a very good job.

"Yes, I'll keep you safe." She sighed, a small smile finally spreading on her lips, quickly halted from the pain that went through her from the cuts. Instead, the looked of horror lessened slightly. He had to know… "Who am I keeping you safe from Christine? Who hurt you?"

She looked up at him for a moment, and then opened her mouth to speak… It stayed open for a moment… "I can't…" she shook her head, and began to cry once more… "I can't Erik, I can't…" he shook his head.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I'll keep you safe from everyone. Don't worry, just sleep Christine…" She nodded softly, closing her eyes and once again laying back on the pillows.

He sat for a moment, watching as her breath deepened, and she finally slept once more. When the pleas began, he once again resumed singing, this time, a short verse from a song that Madam Giry had sang to him when he had first came to this place…

"Safety in my arms, you're safe with me... Sing away all your fears, you are safe with me…" The pleading stopped, and Erik sang on, once again vowing to murder whoever it was that had taken her innocence from her eyes, and whoever it was that had dared to raise a hand to her.

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Waking up with one hell of a hangover, Raoul instantly called to Christine to bring him something for his head. When she didn't answer, he timidly opened his eyes, squinting against the sunlight that poured into the room, intensifying the pain. He closed them again quickly, and shouted for her once more.

"Christine. Get in here!" When she didn't answer, he sat up… maybe he had killed her when he had beaten her. A small amount of remorse coursed through his body. He made his way all over the house, two, three times, before he noticed the trail of blood that lead to the door.

He went out, seeing the white stallion that Christine often rode. He walked over to it, eyes slit shut from the pain in his head. He reached out to it, his hand brushing dried blood. She had run from him…. A growl escaped his lips. She wasn't going to run from him. He had ideas where she would go. To the woman she called mother. Her father's grave. The Opera house… There were so many places to search. He collapsed to the ground, holding his head. As soon as the hangover was gone, he would begin his search. He dragged himself slowly inside and collapsed on his bed. The bed he shared with Christine. She was his, and she wasn't going to leave him…. She belonged to him.

Forever.

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AN: I'm so happy I don't have to completely rewrite the first chapters of this. Of course, I did have to rewrite the first one. Ah well. Doesn't bother me.

Lahhves to you guys, and please review!

Yahoo Email: Deathsrequiem07

Hotmail name: DemyxDanceWaterDance and then add on the other stuff! See you guys!


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